Old threads die hard. This reply is to a post several weeks ago.
On Thu, Nov 10, 2005 at 01:41:37AM -0800, Steve Langasek wrote:
> I find this to be a ridiculous exaggeration. The average time from AM
> assignment to account creation is much *less* than three years among those
> applicants who have become Debian Developers over the past six months; and
> the time spent on NM varies with the preparedness of the candidate. It also
> varies according to when the applicant entered the queue, as applicants are
> completing the process faster now than they were last year before the DAM
> backlog was cleared. The average, though, seems to be something less than 1
> year.
>
> [...]
>
> In Richard's mail, he wrote that the fact that people complain about the NM
> queue periodically is proof that there is a critical problem that needs
> resolving. This is a valid interpretation of the facts, but I don't believe
> it's a correct one. An equally valid interpretation is: once people start
> complaining, they don't know what to stop. Because of past problems with
> the queue, we find ourself entertaining complaints that it takes three years
> to become a DD when that simply isn't true.
The specific three-year case used as example was mine, I think. My case
poses a logical example, but probably not an especially typical or
illuminating one. To clarify the specific case: I did not spend three
years in NM. My three years included almost two years of active
contribution to Debian development before I formally applied for DD
status. Hence in my case, the delay was self-imposed.
Many of the current NM applicants
(a) have earned degrees in computer science/engineering
(I haven't),
(b) program computers for a living (I don't),
(c) are smarter than I am, or at least have more natural hacking
aptitude.
Lacking somewhat in (a), (b) and (c), yet still desiring to develop
Debian, what I tried to do was to
(d) prove persistence, perseverance and good behavior over an
extended period of time.
Eventually, it seems that in my case the AM group decided that my (d)
made up for a moderate deficiency in (a), (b) and (c). Yet by its very
nature, (d) is slow. Once I did apply, my progress through the queue
was indeed slower than average, but only slightly slower, and this
because of (a), (b) and (c). I spent a little over a year in the queue.
--
Thaddeus H. Black
508 Nellie's Cave Road
Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, USA
+1 540 961 0920, t@b-tk.org, thb@debian.org
Attachment:
signature.asc
Description: Digital signature